1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for the bagging or packaging of produce or other articles susceptible to damage upon impact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional produce bagging devices subject the produce to bruising and damage as a result of being dumped into bags or other packages. Devices currently in use employ a pan into which the produce is temporarily placed and an inclined bag support onto which the bags are laid, positioned below the pan outlet. By tipping the pan, the produce is effectively dumped into a bag on the support, with produce falling as much as 50 cm into an empty bag. Considerable bruising results in fruits or vegetables when the energy of the falling articles is absorbed on impact with hard surfaces or other articles already in the bag.
In an attempt to alleviate this problem, bagger improvements have been made to limit damage by reducing the angle of the bag support to the horizontal, decreasing the height of drop of the produce and thus the energy dissipated. However, at this reduced angle, objects tend to roll into the bag in a single layer rather than multiple layers, not completely filling the bag (FIG. 1). Further, objects near the top of the bag are subject to loss or destruction as the bag passes through automated bag closing devices.